Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-07
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER Z, 1887.
The Presidents MESSAGE.

His message is absolutely unique. 1t
may be said TINT the whole of it is de-
voted TO the tariff and the surplus He
refers the public to the reports of the
heads OF the departments for the informa-
ton which has usually caused Prosi-
dents message TO be so very long.
The President is deeply in earnest in
his desire to have the surplus in the
Treasury restored to the public, and the
revenue laws so changed as that hereaf
ter they shall not bring into the Treasury
more money than is needed for the
economical administration of the Gov
ernmont We agree with him that it is
"the simple and plain duty" of Con
gress to effect these purposes The sur
plus is an evil and wrong for more rea-
sons than he mentions. 1t does more
than encourage extravaganza, foster
schemes Of plumber, and cause raids
upon the Treasury.
The President recounts the devices to
which his Secretary of the Treasury had
10 resort in his efforts TO keep the surplus
within manageable limits. The Secre-
tary bought bonds for the sinking fund,
anticipated the payment of interest, and
otherwise did his duty in the premises.
But not with full authority, the President
thinks. And therefore though he
breaches the old Jacksonian doctrine as
10 the divorce of the Government from
the banks, he would have Congress con-
fer upon the Secretary of the Treasury
all the power needed in such emergen-
cies A surplus is Objectionable, we re-
peat, for other reasons than those named
by the President yet we must confess
that We are not convinced that any good
reason can be mentioned for fearing that
panic would result from locking up one
or even two hundred millions of dollars
in the Treasury. There are reasons
enough besides that one why the sur
plus should be done away with. The
President closes his remarks on the sur
plus by admitting that it may not be sn
dangerous as people consider it.
We were amused by the Presidents |
remark that his message is read by the
people as well as by Congress. He
wishes Congress to understand that he
has the people at his back, or at least
thinks he has.
We regret exceedingly that the Presi-
dent found it in his heart to say that
there is no just complaint to be made Of
the internal taxes. In the name of
reason, what would be a just cause of
complaint? He not only says this, but
dismisses the whole subject of internal
taxes in few sentences. Yet he almost
immediately complains OF tariff taxes
that they come out of the consumer in
the end. Do not internal taxes come
out of the consumer in the end? Is
there any other article which so many
poor men use as tobacco 1t
is the one solace Of the laborer
and the mechanic. To chew tobacco
or to smoke is to hurt nobody else. 1t
soothes the tired workingmen, and brings
peace TO their families. 1t keeps them
away from the saloon. He recognizes
the habit of smoking or chewing tobacco
as a luxury, and prizes it as such. We
do not infer, however, from the Presi-
dents language that he would veto a bill
abolishing the tax on tobacco and read
justing customs duties. We are only
sorry that he should feel so little sympa-
thy with his numerous friends and sup
porters in Virginia.
The Presidents tariff views are pre-
sen.ed in a remarkable manner. His
arguments all seem to be ON the side OF
the opponents of protection, yet he
gives TO the protected interests repeated
assurances that he would not, if he could,
do aaght TO damage them. He even
gives us from the census the figures
which We have had laid before us so
often, showing how few persons there
are in the United States engaged in
manufactures, but straightway adds that
their interests are not TO be neglected
nor oyerslaughed because they consti-
tute minority of the community.
The President says, too, that he does
not mean to be understood as giving in
struction to anybody on the tariff ques-
ton. OF course not. We used 10 read
precisely the same arguments nearly
forty years ago. They make no lodg-
ment in the mind Of the men who need
or think they need protective tariff.
We doubt il one establishment for
manufacturing tobacco could survive in
Virginia the repeal Of the tariff on
manufactured tobacco--that is, OF course,
unless the internal tax on tobacco was
also abolished. The President protests
that in changing the tariff our nanufac-
lures must be preserved and the interests
OF labor guarded. And he seems
to admit that in readjusting customs
duties due regard must be had TO the
higher price OF labor in this country as
compared with other countries. He
speaks Of American skill and ingenuity.
II is amusing TO zee the President pro-
testing against both the words "Free
Trade and the word Protection. 1t
is q good sign. He does not give us,
however, q rest from the phrase "infant
industries"
The wool-growers viii not like. the
message.
Every man in Virginia ought TO be
Free Trader IL the tariff makes her peo-